Wirral care home boss jailed after stealing thousands from residents

Sharon Griffiths, jailed for stealing £5,200 from two old men in her Birkenhead care home.

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The manager of a Wirral residential home who repeatedly stole from two vulnerable elderly residents was jailed for 12 months.

Sharon Griffiths, 40, used the bank cards of the two men and withdrew money for her own purposes.

But she was caught one of their relatives became suspicious about money missing from an account.

When quizzed about the missing cash, which totalled approximately £5,200, Griffiths claimed that she had been using it for the men’s own needs.

But Liverpool Crown Court heard that she later admitted that although she had bought them minor items she had pocketed the rest of it.

Mum-of-four Griffiths, of Francis Avenue, Prenton, pleaded guilty to two offences of fraud between April 1 and September 30 last year.

Sentencing her the judge, Recorder Charles Garside, QC, said that he bore in mind that she has children who rely on her but said the offences were “a grave breach of trust”.

He added: “You were manager of the home and you took advantage of two men unable to look after themselves and their affairs.

“You carried out these frauds over a period of time and were persistent.

“It seems to me an element of deterrence in sentencing is of particular importance because those whose loved ones are being looked after in retirement homes are entitled to know that the courts take very seriously any breach of trust.”

Paul Treble, prosecuting, told the court that Griffiths, who has a previous conviction for benefit fraud, was manager of the Devonshire Manor Residential Home in North Road, Birkenhead.

After the alarm was raised by the relative of one of the victims, who has since died, it was found that she had taken in the region of £4,000 from his account.

A further £1,170 was taken from another resident.

John Weate, defending, said: “She has been involved in the care business for over 22 years and was successful in obtaining qualifications allowing her to take a managerial position.”

He said her actions were initially bone fide in buying items for the men but, he said: “temptation got the better of her.

“She was in debt and did not confide in anyone.

“ She has low self-esteem and low expectations and it all cascaded in around her.”

Mr Weate said that Griffiths had health problems and the offending happened after she had undergone hospital procedures and maybe “she wasn’t herself”.